Being Scared
by CBloom2
Summary: Please don't let the lame title put you off. This is based on my worst nightmare, but I've managed to fit in a bit of brotherly bonding. Give it a go, you know you want to.


**HI, I'm back with another small offering. Before I start, I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who reads my stories, especially those kind enough to leave their lovely reviews - it really means a lot to know people are enjoying what I write.**

**If any of you have read any of my other stories (from my other favourite tv worlds) you may realise that this is a little familiar, but I wrote it so I can borrow the idea for a different story!**

**This story is based on one of my greatest fears, which luckily has never happened to me.**

**I bet you can't guess who it's about? Let's see if you're right.**

**As usual I own no-one that you recognise.**

**Being Scared.**

"Going up?" The familiar voice of his brother caught Dr Caleb Knights attention. He looked up to see the younger doctor stood inbetween the lift doors keeping them open. Cal swallowed, "Nah, I'm good thanks," he told him as he made his way to the stairs.

"Where you off to?" Ethan persisted.

"I've got to chase up some blood results," he explained.

"I'm going to XRay and you're the floor above me! Come on, I'm holding the door...live life on the edge," Ethan looked at him with those young, pleading eyes. Cal smiled slightly at his brothers attempt at humour, another indication that Ethan was slowly getting back to some sort of normality after the crash that almost cost him his life.

He couldn't think of any more excuses, so reluctantly he walked towards his brother. As he stepped over the threshold, he took a long shuddering breath, desperately trying to calm his galloping heart. Luckily, Ethan's attention was taken by the console, pressing the buttons for the floors that they wanted, so he was totally oblivious to the paniked, deep breathing of his brother.

Cal found himself pressed up against the rear of the lift, beads of sweat tracking down his back.

"So, have you had any interesting patients today?" Ethan asked brightly. When his brother didn't answer him, Ethan turned slightly and was surprised to see that Cal had lost the colour in his face.

"Cal...what?" He began, but was stopped by a strange whirring and clunking noise. Both doctors watched as the display of floor numbers quivered to a halt. The lift shuddered to a stop. Cal dragged his gaze to his brother, "Wh...what just happened?"

Ethan's brow furrowed as he once again pressed the button for his floor. He pushed his glasses up his nose, as he always did when he was thinking. He blew out a long breath, "I believe that the lift has broken down," he stated in a very matter of fact tone.

Cal blanched, "No, no, no," he mumbles, "You have got to be kidding me."  
>He strode toward the console, almost knocking the smaller man out of the way and began furiously pressing the buttons, mumbling to himself. Ethan frowned in confusion - he had never seen his brother acting like this before. The smaller man moved round him so that he was almost facing him and placed his hand on the top of the older mans to stop him. He was surprised to find that Cal's hand was shaking, "Caleb...stop," he ordered gently. Cal looked at their hands then at Ethan's face. In that moment, Ethan understood what was happening, so he gently led the older man to the back of the lift and pulled him down to the floor, "Ok, Cal, now let's sit down and relax best we can..."<br>"Relax? In here? You're joking," Cal began to chuckle mirthlessly.

Ethan smiled slightly in the hope of keeping his brother calm, "Right, I need to ring the alarm on the console - so I'm just going to go..." Ethan slowly rose to his feet as he spoke, but immediately Cal grabbed his arm, "NO, please don't leave me!"

"I'm only going over there," Ethan assured him.

"Here, I've got my mobile - can't you call them or something?" Cal pleaded as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

For a second, Ethan contemplated arguing that he didn't know who to phone, but seeing panic in his brother's face, he decided against it. He took the phone and called Noel on reception to explain what had happened. As he shut off the phone, he chuckled slightly, "It seems we've been missed," Ethan told his brother.

"Great that means Connie will be on the warpath."

"Or worse...Lily!" They both chuckled as they said Lily's name together, knowing how irate the Chinese doctor could get when pressed.

Cal closed his eyes and groaned, while Ethan took the opportunity to study his brother's face. Pale, sweaty, creased forehead, "Since when have you been afraid of lifts?" He found himself asking before he'd thought about it.

Cal's eyes shot open, "I...I don't know what you mean."

He found that he couldn't look the younger man in the eyes.

Ethan looked down, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so blunt. I can see that this is not your favourite place to be..."

"Yeah, trapped in a lift, with only you for company - top of my list of 'go to' places," Cal scoffed.

Ethan smiled and nodded, acknowledging his brothers attempt at humour, "Of course..."

"I'm sorry Ethan. I didn't mean any of that," Cal told him, looking miserable, "I'm just..."

"Scared?" Ethan questioned as Cal reluctantly nodded his head.

"Then I'm truly sorry Cal - if I'd have known then I wouldn't have made you get in," Ethan told him.

"Yeah well I guess there's a lot you don't know about me," Cal countered, inwardly cursing himself over how bitter he sounded.

Ethan sighed deeply, "Yes, I suppose there is," he conceeded.

They sat in silence for a while, Ethan happy that Cal seemed more relaxed.

"When was the last time you were scared Ethan, I mean really scared?" Cal asked, looking directly at him.

Ethan was taken aback by his question, "Oh, erm, when Mum was ill - they told me that there was nothing more they could do for her - I was scared that you wouldn't make it back in time to see her before..." Ethan swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. He coughed slightly to relieve it, then forced a smile, "I suppose this is where I find out about your fear of lifts?"

Cal shook his head, "No," he answered quietly, "I did get trapped in a lift once, years ago with mum. She was great. She kept me calm, but it stayed with me...the feeling of being closed in...not in control. But that paled into insignificance when you were in that car crash," once again, Cal couldn't look at his brother," Just hearing that it had happened turned my stomach, then they brought you in...bloodied...in and out of conciousness - then I had to stick a needle near your heart to save your life!" Tears began to track down his still pale cheeks, "What if I'd been to late? What if..."

"Cal - stop! Please don't do this. I'm here, alive because of you! Please don't let that awful time be your only memory," Ethan insisted, his heart, for once, going out to his brother.

"How can you be so together about it Eth?" Cal now looked at him, not worried that his brother could see his tears.

Ethan was now the once who looked away, "I...erm...well I'm not exactly 'together' as you put it."

"Oh?" Cal looked on in interest.

"I do have the odd nightmare and certain sounds and smells do sometimes trigger flashbacks..."

"You never told told me this..."

"Well I guess you don't know everything about me either eh?" Ethan smiled knowingly, "I'm handling it Caleb, really I am."

Cal nodded, "I hope you know that if you need to talk or anything...well I know we've not been best buds for a long time but you do know that I'm here for you don't you? Do you think we might be able to work on being brothers again coz I have really missed that."

The two brothers finally looked each other in the eye, "Do you know what Cal? I actually do believe that you are there for me...and I'm happy to work on being brothers again because I miss my safety net."

Suddenly, the lift shuddered once more, causing Cal to scuttle back into the corner. Ethan laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, "It's ok. The lift has started working again," he explained calmly.

The lift signalled that it had reached Ethan's floor. As the doors began to open, Cal quickly wiped his eyes and jumped to his feet. He strode purposefully through the open doors, Ethan quickly following, "I thought yours was the next floor up?"

Cal stopped and took in a deep breath, "This floor will do, " he smiled.

**So that's it. Not brilliant, I'm sure you'd agree but hopefully slightly interesting. I'm hoping for more inspiration soon.**


End file.
